Train-controlling system.



T. WILLIAMS.

TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION EILEDIUNE 2a. 1913.

Patented May 23,1916.-

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. WILLIAMS. TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. I913.

Patnted May 23,1916.

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T. WILLIAMS.

TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28,1913;

Patented May 23,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- LINK anion THOMAS WILLIAMS, 0F EDDYS'IONE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIN-GONTROLLIN G SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed June 28, 1913. Serial No. 776,309.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, THOMAS WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eddystone, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Train-Controlling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in train controlling systems and has particular application to an automatic block signaling and stopping system.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide a system of the class described whereby the engineer of a train approaching an occupied block from either direction will be given a warning signal before coming into close proximity to the occupied block so that such engineer will be at all times advised as to the condition of the track in order that he may control his train accordingly; and whereby the train or car as the case may be will be automatically brought to a standstill in the event that the engineer disregards the warning signal and permits his train or car to approach the occupied block subsequent to re-. ceiving the signal.

It is also my purpose to provide a system of the class described whereby the use of the usual road signals will be eliminated and a signal given in the cab of the locomotive or other car thereby eliminating the possibility of the engineer missing the signal incident to fog or the like.

Furthermore, I aim to provide an automatic block signaling and stopping system for railroads which may be installed and maintained at a comparatively small eX pense and which will be effective underall weather conditions.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the track circuits and line wires controlled thereby. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the train carried mechanism. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of one of the controllers of the train carried mechanism. Fig; 4 is a top plan view of such controller. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the control arm. Referring now to the accompanying drawlugs in detail and particularly to Fig. 1, the numerals 1, 1 designate parallel lines of rails forming the trackway and divided by means of insulation 2 into block a, Z), 0, cl, etc., each of an appropriate length and equipped with a track circuit composed of a battery 3 having the opposite poles thereof connected to the opposite lines of rails of the respective block, and a track relay 4. Each track relay 4 comprises a magnet 5 bridged across the lines of rails of the respective block and normally energized by the track battery 3, and a lever 6 pivoted at one end as at 7 and equipped with an armature 8 disposed Within the influence of the pole of the magnet 5 and normally in engagement with such pole owing to the magnet being energized or active. The upper surface of the lever 6 adjacent to the free end thereof carries a strip 9 of suitable insulating material upon which are mounted carbon blocks 10, 10 appropriately spaced apart and designed, when the lever is in elevated position, to engage pairs of curved spring contacts 11, 12 respectively to engage the contacts of each pair with each other, the contacts of each pair being connected to an appropriate support and insulated from each other as at 13.

Arranged Within each block and disposed upon the opposite sides thereof are sets of contact rails A, B, each including, in the present instance, three of such rails 14, 15 and 16. In the present instance, each contact rail is formed with an upwardly projecting substantially T-shaped head 17 disposed within a similarly formed groove formed in the under side of a rail holder 18 carried by a standard 19 and equipped with a removable side wall 20 whereby the contact rail may be readily removed for re pairs or renewal, such removable side wall having the lower edge thereof formed to provide a deflector 21' whereby the contact rails will be protected from inclement weather.

The contact rails 14 and 15 of the set A of each block and the contact rail 16 of such set are controlled from independent blocks beyond one end thereof while the contact I rails 14 and 15 and the similar rails 16 of the set'B at the opposite side of each block are controlled from the track relays of independent blocks beyond the other end of the ling block. On the other hand, the contact rails 14 and 15 and the rail 16 of the set B of each block are shown as controlled in a manner identical to that of the set A but from blocks at the other side of the particularblock. For instance, the" contact rails 14 and 15 of the set A of block (Z are connected in series in a line Wire 22 terminally connectedto one contact of the pair 11 under the control of the track relay 4 of the block C, while from the remaining contact of such pair leads a line Wire 23 terminally connected to the sideof the line of'railsof blockd adjacent, to the set of contact rails A,'while the contact rail 16' is connected to one terminal of a line Wire 24 tapped onto the line wire 23, as at 25, leading from the particular contact under the control of the track relay of block a. The free terminal of the line Wire 22 under the control of the track relay of block a is tapped onto the line of rails of block d with the line Wire 23 controlled fromcthe track relay of block-c. Thus,it will be seen that the line Wire 22 under the control of the track relay of each block extends through the contact rails 14 and '15 of the adjacent block and is terminally connected to one side of the rails of ablock three blocks beyond the controlling block, while the line wire 23 under the control of the track 'relayof each block istapped onto one side of the line of rails of the adjacent block. On the other hand, the contact rails 14 and 15 of the set E on the otherside of block 0Z are connected in series in a line wire 26 terminating in one of the contacts of the pair 12 under the control of the relay 4 of block 0, while leading from the remaining contact of such pair is a line Wire 27 tapped onto the line of rails of block (Z adjacent to the set of contact rails B, the free: terminal of the linewire 26 being tapped onto the line Wire 27 under the control of the relay of block 03. The contact rail 16 of the set B on one side of theblock dis connected by way 10f. a line Wire 28 with theline of rails of block 6 adjacent to the particularset of contact rails B. This connection between the contact rail 16 of the'set of the block d i andthe line of rails of block e'places such contact rail. under thecontrol of the track of the set B on the particular side of block 0 wherein it will be seen that a circuit would be established if a battery were bridged across the contact rail 16 and the adjacent line of rails of block 0 wherein current would flow from one side of the battery through the contact 16, line wire 28, one side of the line of rails of the block d, the line wire 27 under the control of the track relay 4 of the block a, the line wire 26, the contact rails 14 and 15 and thence back to the other side of the battery by way of the other line of rails 1 of the block 0 to which the battery is connected.

The contact rail 14 of each set is disposed immediately adjacent to the particular line of rails of the trackway, while the contact rails 15 and 16 are disposed in the same horizontal plane and to one side of the contact rails 14. In other words, the contact rails 15 and 16 are spaced apart from the respective .lines of rails of the trackway greater distances than the contact rails 14 and form What may be termed the signal contact rails, while the horizontally alining contact rails 14 form the stop rails.

The train carried mechanism embodies two pairs of controllers 29 and 30, the controllers of each pair being arranged upon and suitably secured to the opposite sides of the locomotive or other car. Each controller comprises a base 31 equipped at one end with an upstanding block 32 upon which is mounted a pivot bracket 34 to which is pivotally connected, as at 35, one end of an arm 36, the latter carrying at its free end a brush 37 adapted to contact with the under surface of the respective contact rails. Interposed between the under face of the arm 36 and the adjacent face of the block 32 is a coiled expansion spring 38 acting to force the arm upwardly and so increase the frictional contact between the respective contact rails and the brush. Upstanding from the base 31 immediately adjacent to one end. of the block 32 is a slab 39 preferably composed of insulating material and carrying on its outer face a semicircular strip 40 and segmental strips 41, 42 disposed within the strip 40 and having the combined lengths thereof equal to the length of the first strip. The adjacent ends of the segmental strips 41 and 42 overlap, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and are appropriately spaced apart, and pivotally mounted upon the base 31, as at 43, adjacent to the outer surface of the slab 39 is an arm 44 adapted for swinging movement and normally maintained in a true vertical position by means of a spring 45, This arm 44 is formed with an elongated slot in which is mounted a carbon block 46 designed to wipe over the strips 40, 41 and 42 and bridge the same, such block being held in frictional engagement with the strips by means of a leaf spring 47 having one end suitably secured to the outer edge of the arm and the opposite end bearing against the adjacent face of the block. The upper end of the arm 44 is disposed in a plane coincident with that of the brush 37 and is adapted to engage the particular contact rails along the trackway.

The numerals 48 and 49 designate actuating devices, which, in the present instance, are each in the form of a motor. In the present instance, the motor 49 is connected to the handle 56 of a valve 57 located in the train line air-pipe T, while the motor 48 is connected to the handle 58 of a valve 59 controlling communication between a source of fluid supply and a whistle 60. The actuating device 49 is connected in a normally closed circuit including a source of energy such, for instance, as a battery 61 having one side grounded upon the frame of the engine as at 62 and the opposite side connected by way of a conductor 63 with one side of the actuating device 49. From the opposite side of such device leads a conductor 64 terminally connected to the semicircular strip 40 of one of the controllers of the pair 29. From the segmental strip 42 of this controller leads a conductor 65 terminating in the semicircular strip 40 of the other controller of the pair 29, While from the segmental strip 42 of the last-mentioned controller leads a conductor 66 grounded upon the engine. From the remaining segmental strips 41 of the controllers of the pair 29 lead conductors 67 each terminally connected to the respective brush 37. The arms 44 of the controllers of the pair 29 being normally in a vertical position, it will be seen that the circuit of the actuating device 49 will be normally closed owing to the strips 40 and 42 being bridged, current fiowing from one side of the battery 61, through the conductor 63, actuating device 49, conductor 64, strip 40, carbon block 46, strip 42, conductor 65, strip 40 of the other controller of the pair 29, carbon block 46 and strip 42 and then back to the other side of the battery by way of the conductor 66 and the engine frame.

The actuating device 48 controlling the whistle or audible signal 60 is connected in multiple with the first circuit by means of a conductor 68 having one end tapped onto the conductor 63 and the opposite end connected to one side of the actuating device 48. From the remaining side of such actuating device leads a conductor 69 terminally connected to the semicircular strip 40 of one of the controllers of the pair 30. Leading from the segmental strip 42 of such controller is a conductor 70 terminally connected to the semicircular strip 40 of the other controller of the pair 30 and from the strip 42 of the last-mentioned controller leads a conductor 71 grounded upon the engine frame. The segmental strips 41 of the controllers of the pair 30 are connected by way of conductors 72 with the brushes 37. As the arms 44 of the controllers of the pair 30 are normally maintained in a vertical position by means of the springs 35, it will be seen that the circuit of the actuating device 48 is normally closed owing to the carbon blocks 46 carried by the arms bridging the strips 40 and 42. Current flows through this circuit as follows; from one side of the battery 61 through the conductor 68, actuating device 48, conductor 69, semicircular strip 40 of one of the controllers of the pair 30, carbon block 46, strip 42, conductor 70, the strip 40 of the other controller of the pair 30, the carbon block 46 and the strip 42 and then back to the other side of the battery 61 by way of the conductor '71 and engine frame. Thus, it will be seen that the controllers 29 and the actuating device 49 are connected in series with the battery 61, while the actuating device 48 and the controllers of the pair 30 are connected in series with one another and in parallel with the circuit of the actuating device 49 so that one actuating device may be rendered active independently of the other.

A normally open manually operable switch 73 preferably has one side thereof tapped onto the conductor 64 and the opposite side grounded as at 74. Similarly, a like switch 75 has one side tapped onto the conductor 69 and the opposite side grounded upon the engine frame as at 76. By means of this construction, it will be seen that, should the arm 44 of one of the controllers ofthe pair 29 be swung to a position to disrupt or break the connection between the strips 40 and 42, the circuit through the motor or actuating device 49 may be closed with the effect to hold such actuating device energized and short circuit the controllers. Similarly, the motor or actuating device 48 may be maintained energized in the event that one of the controllers of the pair 30 should be swung to a position to disrupt the connection between the strips 40 and 42. The circuits of the actuating devices 48 and 49 being normally closed, it will be seen that the devices are normally energized thereby preventing the flow of fluid through the Whistle 60 and a reduction of the train line pressure in the pipe T.

In practice, the controllers of the pair 29 are disposed upon opposite sides of the engine or other car and designed to engage the contact rails 14 along the trackway.

- These controllers are reversed so that the Controller upon one side of the car will have control of the circuit of the actuating device when the train or car is moving in one direction, while, when the train is moving in the opposite direction, the other con troller of the pair will have complete control of the circuit exclusive of the other controller. Similarly, the controllers of the pair are disposed upon opposite sides of the car and are extended out from the rails greater distances than the controllers of the pair. 29 so as to operate in conjunction with the contact "rails 15 and 16 along the line of way. The controllers 30 are also reversed for the purposes ascribed to the controllers 29. i

The operation of my improved automatic train controlling system may be stated as follows: For the purposes of illustration, let it be assumed that a train is present in block (Z and moving in the direction of the arrow I The train in' block (Z short circuits the track open.

relay 4 in the track circuit of such block and so permits the lever 6 to drop orgravitate to its lower position thereby permitting the contacts of the pairs 11 and 12 to separate or When the contacts- 12 are open, the

continuity of the line wires 26 and 27 is disrupted, so that the connection between the contact rails 14 and 15 of the set B of block 0 and the particular line of rails of such block is broken, while the connection between thecontact rails 16 of the set B of block b and the particular line of rails of such block, by way of'the line wire 28, respective line of rails of block a, line wire 27 line wire 26, contact rails 14 and 15 of the set E of the block 0, etc., is broken. In this condition of the system, should a train enter block Z), the brush 37 of the controller 30 at the particular side of the train and the arm 44 of such controller will engage the under surface of the contact rails 16 at the entrance to block 1) whereby the contact arm 44 will swingto bridge the strips 40 and 41 and break the connection between the strips 40 and 42. In thisv movement of the arm of the controller, the circuit through the actuating device 48 will be broken, owing to the armature of the track relay 40f the block d being in its lowered position whereby the weight 63 of such actuating device will gravitate to lower position and so swing the handle 58 with the .eflect to open the valve 59 and establish communication between the source of fluid supply and the whistle'60. Thus, an audible signal will-be given in the car to notify the engineer or motorman of the condition of the track ahead.

If block 03 was unoccupied or clear, the track relay 4- would be energized and the lever 6 maintain the continuity of the line wires so that the engineer of the train entering theblock Z) would not have received a carbon block 46 to the strip 41, incident to the lever being swung rearwardly. From the strip 41, the current would continue through the conductor 72, brush 37, contact rails 16, line wire 28, one side of the rails of the block 0, the line wires 27 and 26, the contact rails 14 and 15 back to the other side of the battery 61 by way of the other side of the rails of the block Z), the wheels of the engine and the frame. However, the relay 4 of block ol being short circuited or deenergized, the engineer of the train in block b will have received the warning signal as previously described. Should such engineer disregard the warning signal and enter block 0, the brush of the same controller 30 will engage the contact rail 15 of the set B of block 0 and so cause the signal to be again sounded and if the latter signal is disregarded, the brush 37 and arm 44 of the controller 29 of the particular side on the train will ride into engagement with the contact 5 rail 14 whereby the circuit through the actuating device 49 will be disrupted or broken and the brakes applied to bring the train to a standstill before such train has entered block d. Had block at been unoccupied, the circuit through the actuating device 49 would have been maintained and current flowed as follows: from one side of the battery 61 through the conductor 63, actuating device 49, conductor 64, the semicircular strip 40 of the controller 29, through the strip 41, incident to the lever 44 being swung rearwardly, the conductor 67, brush 37, contact rail 14, line wire 26, pair of contacts 12, line wire 27, one side of the rails of the block 0, and back to the other side of the battery by way of the wheels and frame of the engine. As the train passes from block 1) toward the exit end of block 0, the brush 37 of the first-mentioned controller will ride over the contact rails 15 and 16 of the sets B of blocks b and 0 respectively, but, as the line wires of these contact rails are intact, the circuit through the particular actuating device will be maintained. Likewise, the brush and arm of the second-mentioned controller will contact with the rail 14 adjacent to the exit end of block I), but as the line wire of this rail is intact, the circuit through the actuating device 49 will be maintained.

' The deenergized track relay 4 of block at will also break the electrical continuity of the line wires 22 and 23 thereby breaking the connection between the contact rails 14 and 15 of the set A and the particular line 130 of rails of the adjacent block or block 6 and as the wire 22 is tapped onto the line of rails adjacent to a set of contact rails A of the third block beyond block cl and theconductor 24 tapped onto the contact rails 16 of such block, the connections between such contact rail and the adjacent line of rails of this advance block will be broken. This of rails, the line wire 23, line wire 22, and

the said contact rails, would be broken. Similarly, electrical connnunication between the contact rails 16 of the set A of block d and the adjacent line of rails of said last block, by way of the line wire 24, the particular portion of the line wire 23 and the line wire 22, which has its free terminal tapped onto the said line of rails of block 65, will be disrupted. Thus, should trafiic in block d be reversed, that is to say, should the train back up, the brush 37 and arm 44 of the controller 30 at the side of the engine or car with the set of contact rails A will engage the contact rail 16 of such set and as the electrical continuity of the line wires including this contact rail is broken, as aforesaid, the circuit through the actuating device 48 will be broken, incident to the arm, in its swinging movement, carryin the carbon block 46 out of engagement with the strip 42 and into position to bridge the strips 40 and 41 exclusive of the strip 42. Thus, the whistle 60 will be sounded to advise the engineer of the train in block at of the condition of the track behind him. Should the train in block (Z continue to back and the train in block a remain there, the signal of the backing train will be again sounded when such train enters block b, incident to the brush and arm of the controller coming into contact with the contact rail 15 and if this last signal is disregarded, the brush and arm of the controller of the pair 29 at the respective side of the train will ride into engagement with the contact rail 1.4 whereby the circuit of the actuating device 49 will be disrupted so that the train line air pressure will be reduced and the brakes applied to bring the train to a standstill before the same has entered the occupied block.

Should it be desired to enter an occupied block after the brakes have been applied and the train brought to a standstill, as for instance, where it is necessary to assist a stalled train, the engineer of the helping train may close the switch 7 3 and so complete the circuit for the actuating device 49 so that the valve 57 will be closed to permit the brakes to be released. Similarly, should the engineer, for any reason, wish to keep the whistle 6O silent, as when going to the assistance of another train, he may close the switch whereby the circuit through the actuating device 48 will be maintained irrespective of the controller breaking the same.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my system of control for railroads will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. It will be seen that the controlling circuits for the actuating devices of the train carried mechanism are maintained closed automatically, as the train passes from block to block, when the blocks controlling the line wires of the sets of contact rails of the particular block are clear, while when such blocks are occupied, the continuity of the circuits of the actuating devices is disrupted or broken so that the latter will operate to first give a signal and so advise the engineer of the condition of the trackway and then effect an application of the brakes to the wheels to bring the train or car as the case may be to a standstill.

While I have herein shown and described one preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, I wish it to be understood that although I have shown and described my invention as applied to a steam railroad, it is equally applicable to electric roads and, if desired, the actuating device 49 may be connected up with the propelling mechanism of the car as well as the brake system so that such propelling mechanism may be cut off previous to the application of the brakes.

I claim:

In apparatus of the class described, a controller comprising a base, a bracket uprising from said base adjacent to one end thereof, an arm pivoted upon said bracket, a brush on said arm, a spring acting upon said arm to hold said brush in active position, a slab secured to said base adjacent to the other end thereof and projecting upwardly therefrom, a semicircular strip secured to one face of said slab, segmental strips secured to said face of the slab and disposed inwardly of the first-mentioned strip and having the combined lengths thereof equal to the length of the first strip and the adjacent ends overlapping each other, an arm pivoted upon said base at the center of the arc of the semicircular strip and adapted for swinging movement and normally disposed 'a' Vertical position bringing 511 of In testimony whereof I aflix my signature said strips to hold the controlledicircuit in presence of two Witnesses.

closed and capable of swinging movement THOMAS WILLIAMS. to break the established circuit; said brush Witnesses:

'5 cooperating Withv said arm and Contact stri JOHN J. TIGHE,

substantially as'described. V v MONROE FIFIELD.

copies of this patent mey be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents,

I r V. v Washington, D. 0. 

